AMD’s chief sales and marketing officer Henri Richard to step down

As if AMD's year couldn't get much rougher, the company has now announced the …

As if AMD's year couldn't get much rougher, the company has now announced the imminent departure of chief sales officer Henri Richard. AMD's PR release specifically states that the departure is "of his own accord and on completely amicable terms," but one can't help trying to read between the lines. While AMD's troubles these past 12 months certainly can't be laid completely at Henri's doorstep, the company's Barcelona delays, revenue troubles, and considerable losses certainly isn't making any of the executive team's jobs any easier.

Richard joined the company in 2002, not long before Opteron fueled the company's surge against Intel, but he has caused waves in recent years with his public statements regarding Intel's supposed benchmark distortion as well as the company's alleged anticompetitive actions against AMD. With Henri's departure set for September, it's not known whether or not he'll actually take part in the launch of Barcelona, which is currently set for the 10th of that month.

Henri's departure leaves a gap in AMD's management structure, but it's not immediately clear how that gap will be filled. For now, AMD has stated that "the global sales and marketing organization will report directly to the CEO until a permanent replacement is announced."

Henri's departure comes just a month after graphics division manager Dave Orton left the company. Originally the CEO of ATI and an executive VP at AMD, Orton's position wasn't directly replaced; instead, the head of the consumer electronics business was set to report to Dirk Meyer and CEO Hector Ruiz.